Troops step up crackdown on oil theft in Niger Delta, destroying over 40 illegal refining sites

■ GOC 6 Division urges troops to sustain pace

Troops of the Nigerian Army’s 6th Division have intensified operations against crude oil theft in the Niger Delta, achieving significant results, including the arrest of several wooden vessels and the destruction of over 40 illegal refining sites across the region.

In a statement, Lieutenant Colonel Danjuma Jonah Danjuma, acting deputy director of public affairs for the 6th Army Division, said these operations, conducted in collaboration with other security agencies, led to the seizure of over 180,000 litres of illegally refined products in the division’s area of ​​responsibility.

The cleanup operations are part of a broader strategy by the Division to dismantle networks of economic saboteurs in the region.

In particular, in Bille and Mbiama, Okrika Local Government Area (LGA), troops, in collaboration with other security forces, managed to demolish six illegal refining sites.

These sites were equipped with eleven furnaces, storage tanks and cooling systems, all of which have been dismantled.

Lieutenant Colonel Danjuma added that the troops also seized two tarpaulins containing about 45,000 litres of illegal crude oil, along with jerry cans, drums containing over 1,000 litres of illegally refined automotive diesel, three pumping machines and 500 metres of long pipes.

Additionally, five more illegal refining sites were destroyed in the Alakiri area of ​​Okrika LGA, resulting in the confiscation of over 15,000 litres of illicit products.

In related operations, troops from the 16th Brigade, operating near Bille and Elem Karakarma in the Degema local jurisdiction area, arrested two wooden vessels loaded with over 24,000 litres of illegally refined products, along with two fibre vessels containing over 1,200 litres of stolen crude oil.

Further seizures were made in Nembe LGA, Bayelsa State, where more than 34,000 litres of illegally refined products were confiscated.

In Delta State, the 63 Brigade intercepted a truck carrying 33,000 litres of illegally refined products along the Asaba-Onitsha road.

Near Ikpemu Creek in Warri South, troops seized more than 10,000 litres of stolen crude oil and dismantled an active illegal refining site along with five large dugout canoes.

The overall commander of the 6th Division, Major General Jamal Abdussalam, commended the troops for their operational achievements and urged them to maintain momentum against economic saboteurs as the operations continue.

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